A sweetly stirring reckoning, Casey Dubie’s intimate indie pop song “Limbo” reminds us that we’re not alone in our struggles – that everyone’s trying to untangle some kind of mess.
for fans of Holly Humberstone, beabadoobee, Loviet
Stream: “Limbo” – Casey Dubie
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I thought it was cool to compare the relationship to the sky during sunset, sitting between day and night.
Life can all-too often feel like an opaque funk of confusion and uncertainty: Whether we’re stuck romantically, hitting a professional roadblock, or in the midst of a global pandemic, we all find ourselves in moments of self-doubt where we can’t seem to figure out where we’re going or how we’re going to get there. When those feelings creep upon us – and like it or not, they always (eventually) do – it’s comforting to know we’re not the only ones: That everyone’s trying to untangle some kind of mess.
That’s the beauty of Casey Dubie’s latest effervescent single: A sweetly stirring reckoning, the intimate indie pop song “Limbo” reminds us that we’re not alone in our struggles; that everyone hits hard times, and many of us can feel adrift, searching for that anchor back to a stable, balanced center.
talking to you makes me lonely
in the kitchen with your shadow
i’m looking at all the plants on the wall
watching them grow slowly
laying in bed looking out your windows
i always had a hard time staying up late
you had a hard time waking up
Even with the sun full on your face
Atwood Magazine is proud to be premiering “Limbo,” Casey Dubie’s second single of 2021 and the latest look at her forthcoming sophomore album, Half-Hearted (out in early 2022). Following August’s lead single “I Tried,” “Limbo” finds the Burlington, Vermont-raised, Nashville-based artist sifting through emotional anguish and romantic uncertainty.
In featuring her moving song “Confetti” back in 2018, Atwood marveled at Dubie’s ability to evoke a wide spectrum of emotion. “Joy and sadness sit side by side one another as Dubie weaves them together in tales of growing pains and truths learned along the way,” we wrote. “A kindred spirit to emotionally intelligent rock/pop music makers like Phoebe Bridgers and HAIM, Casey Dubie injects purpose and depth into her songs. Every moment counts, and with her upcoming debut Into the Moon, every moment is worth listening to – time and time again.”
The past three years have seen Dubie’s artistry and name steadily grow, and the past year and a half’s pandemic couldn’t stop her from recording her forthcoming sophomore effort. “I Tried” and “Limbo” find her building beautiful worlds through vivid songwriting and immersive sounds, with the latter proving an especially entrancing experience. Throughout “Limbo,” she weaves a gently kaleidoscopic landscape out of glistening guitar riffs, moody piano chords, and a dynamic rhythm section that constantly pulses forward, musically and metaphorically pushing her onward. Atop this dulcet world of wonder rises Dubie’s voice, a soft and radiant presence that captivates the ears and colors our emotional hues, connecting on that deeper level that so very few artists manage to achieve.
A subtle key change and drum fill guide the song into a groovy chorus filled with light, honest reflection, and candid yearning:
It’s been a few years since we drove
heat on and open windows
In day’s last hazy glow
watching the sky in limbo
watching you and i in limbo
“This song features a lot of real memories from my life,” Dubie tells Atwood Magazine. “It’s largely processing a friendship of mine that feels like it’s in an in-between and trying to figure out how to feel about and navigate it. The verses reach back into the past and the chorus sits in the reality of where things are now — limbo. I thought it was cool to compare the relationship to the sky during sunset, sitting between day and night. It’s one of my favorites on the record and sonically just feels super different and weird in a good way. I love how the verses and the chorus are in two different keys and I love the chaos and drama the brass and percussion bring at the end of the choruses. Life largely feels like it’s in limbo right now too, so even though this is me processing something very personal, I hope others can connect to it both on a personal level and the bigger picture of life right now.”
Life largely feels like it’s in limbo right now too, so even though this is me processing something very personal, I hope others can connect to it both on a personal level and the bigger picture of life right now.
we traded blue for purple
yours was too small
i always got put in the middle
til i wasn’t in it at all
it’s been a few years since we drove
heat on and open windows
In day’s last hazy glow
watching the sky in limbo
watching you and i in limbo
Whether you find yourself in your own are we, aren’t we? haze of platonic and romantic connection, or any other sort of destabilizing jumble, Casey Dubie is here with the helping hand of a charming, intoxicating song. “Limbo” easily and effectively captures the inner strife, the self-doubt, and the emotional cacophony buffet that accompanies our moments of tension and struggle. Stream “Limbo” exclusively on Atwood Magazine, and be sure to follow Casey Dubie for more as she teases out her forthcoming sophomore album, Half-Hearted.
sitting on gray velvet
watching the yellow fading lights
not if i can help it
jaw clenching tight
but i watch us lose it
slowly in the quiet
why did i go quiet
why did i stay quiet
it’s been a few years since we drove
heat on and open windows
In day’s last hazy glow
watching the sky in limbo
watching you and i in limbo
Why did I go quiet
You and i in limbo
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Stream: “Limbo” – Casey Dubie
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